Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Remembering 9-11

This is the flag that flies outside my house to remind us always of where we stand. I may need a new one, this one is getting kind of weather worn.

We have a flag at the cabin that flies off of the porch when we are there. I put it out when we arrive, and bring it in when we leave.

In 2001 my oldest son was in high school….and he remembers September 11, 2001 because just the previous November he had marched in the Macy’s parade, and had been to the world trade center.

His younger brother was 11 at the time, and remembers “some” of what happened, but feels farther removed from it.

I suppose it will get to be like it is for those of us who were not yet born when Pearl Harbor happened….we know the story, but it doesn’t have as much impact because we were not there.

I was a little girl at the age of 7 when Apollo 11 landed on the moon in 1969. I remember seeing it on television in black and white, but it made no sense to me because I was young.

When Jeff picked me up at the airport last night, we decided on dinner out at Ruby Tuesdays, and really enjoyed our evening together, just mom and son. We talked about things that he remembered, and that I remembered.

We lived south of Dallas at the time, and what I really remember – once I turned off CNN and tried to get about the daily normalcy of taking care of my family-- was how quiet the skies were with no air traffic anywhere. Days later when I heard the first plane go over –it nearly scared me.

With all that is going on with Syria in the news now --- I hold my breath, and my children close to my heart and pray ---and it seems futile, this wish that there will be peace on this earth at some point. That freedom, respect for others and hard work will combine to create a world where we can live together. That there will be a safe place and a good life for not only our children and our grand children, but our great great great grand children as well.

I’m taking today as a day to ponder, reflect, show gratitude ---and remember, always remember..

39 comments:

Feeling the same way Bonnie, just replaced the flag this morning. I was at work and one of my cohorts saw it on the internet before it came on TV. We were all huddled around his computer waiting for news.My son was in the Marine Corps at the time, stationed in Okinawa. Got an email that day saying he would be leaving there(could not tell us anything) and that we would not be hearing from him for a while. Terror in my heart. I am thankful he came home. I have been on the computer this morning but am signing off now and will take the day to pray for peace.Godspeed to all.

Oh I remember! My son was born late the night before! (So yesterday he turned 12) I sat alone in the hospital room feeding my son watching the Today Show WHILE it was happening. My husband called minutes after the first plane hit and I told him to turn on the TV! I remember like it was yesterday!

I had the TV on that morning -- an unusual occurrence. I saw the broadcast of the first plane hitting, and then the second. I told my husband about it over the phone, and he didn't believe me. I decided it was past time to turn of the TV when my little one, 6 at the time, asked, "Mommy, why does that plane keep running into that building? Why don't they make it stop?" We got extra fighter jet flyovers that morning, then extra quiet. All that day I thought about all the families who had been torn apart, and about the individuals who were terrified when they died. The Pentagon didn't actually look that bad to me at first, but I was worried about my cousin who worked there. And then I learned about the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania and became proud of those aboard who gave their lives for others.

9/11 encourages me to remind my children that we have to choose to be the United States, that there is a cost for the lives we lead, the society we have. And that we all need to do our part to make sure it is worth the cost to preserve.

Beautiful Bonnie! My flag is flown 24/7! When this happened, by youngest son was in Jr. High study hall and the teacher came in and told everyone what happened. My son is now with the Army National Guard and is currently deployed to Afghanistan. Today is full of emotion just as it was 12 years ago. My son is to be home very soon and all I can think about is the trouble in Syria now and how they could easily be told they have to stay. I am so proud of my son and just want him home safely. He's been married a year now, and they have only spent 2 months together. His wife has been remarkable and I admire the strength she has shown, sometimes better than me. It will be one happy reunion for all of us when Nathan returns. :)

Never forget. I too remember being scared when I heard planes again. I lived in Richmond and there was concern about being attacked because of the Federal Reserve Building. Thanks to all the Armed Services for the jobs they do to try to keep us safe.

I was having some of the same thoughts this morning as to those who were either quite young or not yet born and how to them, the way things are today must be how it always has been. But for those of us who have spent more than a couple decades on earth, we remember what life was like prior to 9/11. That day irreversible changed more things than I'd like to remember, especially our sense of invulnerability as a nation. I have no illusion that as long as mankind is in his present state that there will ever be "peace" in the sense of no war or fighting, though we can certainly hope and pray for peace. During that 'no fly' time-frame, there was a car in the neighborhood that sounded like a small plane engine, frightened me every time it drove by. I think I overdosed on the news during that time. No, I will never forget the horror of that day.

My dearly departed husband was an air traffic control supervisor on that fateful day and was very involved in getting every single plane out of the sky. What a hellacious day for him and all those involved in flight of any kind. He was astounded at how quickly the emptying of the skies took place. I, like nearly everyone else on the planet, was in shock at what just a handful of terrorists was able to accomplish.

I'm remembering with more feeling this year than on the 10 year anniversary. My dear MIL died on this date 3 years ago as well. This morning I had thoughts of the younger people not knowing about this tragic event in America's history. Somehow, like with the Holocaust, we need to never forget.

I remember the day also, it was the first thing I heard on tv that morning as I was getting my kids ready for school, and for days after I felt so sad for all the lives lost, for the families who lost a loved one, just so depressing. I remember talking to my Dad on the phone about it one night after and he just couldn't believe it and was feeling the same sadness that I was feeling, my Dad has since passed away, he was a very caring man, I miss him so much.I too hope there will be peace on this earth someday soon and that there will be respect for others and the world will be a happier place... maybe everyone in the world should take up quilting, since quilters are so good at sharing and caring for others.

My oldest daughter worked in the Empire State Building during that time. Needless to say, it was a HORRIBLE time. At first, we didn't know WHAT "they" were "bombing." Then she spent until 3 p.m. that day trying to get out of the city back home to Westchester. I was living upstate in New York, near Albany, babysitting my little granddaughter. Little did I know that my daughter who was struggling in the "city" was pregnant with my second grandchild. I now have 5 grandchildren and their parents to love. BUT ... my daughter has never EVER talked about the horrors she experienced that day, probably except to a therapist. I thank heaven every day for those that lost their lives, and the lives that were saved, including my daughter and her husband.

"wars and rumors of wars..." it's a good time to pray for our country and leadership. I've been to the 9/11 Memorial, but the most moving experience for me was at St. Paul's church where the first responders slept and ate. It's also where George Washington prayed after he took his oath of office. (The church is in the Wall St. area of New York City)

I woke this morning, and remembered 9/11 right away....Although I'm Dutch I remember that day so clearly! I think I will never forget the terror and the pain in peoples eyes in the news...From that day I choose to show love towards people, whoever they are... And if it is up to me, to show that everyone I encouter deserves a smile and hope it gives them a bit of sunshine in their lives.... Just to make this world a better place..Love to you Bonnie!Let's all try our utmost for our world!

I remember.My husband's uncle's funeral was that morning and we were sitting in church waiting for the service to start when his brother came in and sat down beside us and told us about it. It was such a beautiful day out. We went in separate cars because after the lunch DH had to go to work in the opposite direction from home. I drove the scenic route that afternoon and marveled at the fact that there were no planes or jet trails in the sky. Seemed really weird and empty.Then, the constant repetition on TV. Seeing it once or twice was plenty for me and after that I kept it shut off.It all seems so far off now.

I was a teacher giving a test to third graders. Someone knocked on the door and whispered a plane had crashed into the tower. We went on lockdown for the whole day, the school eerily silent. Parents started picking up students early. One of my fav links was a web cam on the South tower with amazing views of the city. I had been up to the top. It was amazing. I remember clicking the link and getting the site not found error. My parents and I were supposed to camp for 3 weeks during year round school break the next week. A part we needed for our van never came in because all trucking,trains,planes were grounded. Finally we got the part. We put the camper away, took out our boat and headed to Atlanic Beach for a week. There was no one there. People were not traveing and cancelled their plans. So many memories.

I remember also, I was working as an RN in our local hospital. I can remember watching the first plane hit and the room I was in at the time. I was very busy that morning, hospitals continue to run no matter what happens in the world. I was very concerned because my daughter lived and worked in New York City. Neither I nor my husband could reach her by phone. Several hours later , after my shift was over, she called us. She was ok but could see the smoke from her workplace. She was very upset, as the rest of our country was, I'm sure.

The thing is that you remember everything about the moment when you heard the news. I remember in detail the sights and sounds around me when President Kennedy was shot. The memories of 9/11 are a little different for me than for most. My husband were in the tunnel along the Western Wall in Jerusalem when the towers were hit. We were delayed in getting home because the Israeli planes were caught in NY and couldn't get out -- however they were allowed to leave before even US planes were allowed to fly in our air space. I had to watch films shown one year later in memory of the horrible event to learn a lot about it. I do remember that after we finially were able to get home I had been up for 49 hours. Nancy: rangerer@sbcglobal.net

I remember rushing by and glancing at the computer screen as I ran out the door to rush the kids to school. It was the 1st tower in smoke/flames and figured it to be some movie trailer... couldn't be real... didn't think anything of it. dropped the kids at school then off to the park to run my laps. It wasn't til i stopped at the grocery store on the way home that I found out what was going on. I felt real guilty about that for a while. I have a aunt on my Mom's side that worked in the south tower. She got out and walked for blocks... in shock... until someone stopped her and contacted family to come take her home. In the mean time her hubby saw the tower go down on tv and had a heart attach thinking she was there... died several months later. Her son was a fireman... died a couple years later from complications from ulcerations that developed from working in the dust and debris. the quiet skies afterwards were very erie... then when the first planes were flying again... scary. We will never forget. but like all major moments in history... memories fade, events are rewritten or become unknown/insignificant to the current or next generation. Hopefully, history will not repeat itself.

what a great invitation to have your home inspected by unannounced guests! sorry I have lived in a major metro area too long to post an invitation as that. it's a grand thing to do and very patriotic and the act is awesome. good luck!

Remembering, reflecting, praying. We have done this before, as did our elders on Dec 7th. Too many "days that the country will never forget". Yes, we worry about our military members, but there are all the police and firefighters that put there lives on the line daily.As Lee Greenwood sings---God Bless the USA!!! I do...

I was working in the activities department at a vocational training workshop for developmentally disabled adults at the time. One of our usual morning activities was to watch the news for a bit & then talk about the stories. On 9/11, we watched the whole thing unfold from the very beginning. Before long, all the clients & all the staff were at every TV in the facility, eyes glued in dead silence as we watched the nightmare escalate, unable to wrap our minds around what was happening & that it was REAL. We carried on about our day, but every TV stayed on throughout the day so we could keep an eye on things. I think we were all just in a fog & although we had our jobs to do, I think we all just wanted to be at home, holding our families. I think about it & it feels like it was just yesterday, even now, 12 years later. I can still feel all the things I felt that morning when I think on it, as if feeling them for the 1st time all over again. I was deeply impacted by it & my reaction was visceral, emotional, & spiritual. We were all changed that day, whether we were there or lost someone who was or just watched events unfold halfway across the country. We all feel the loss to varying degrees. We couldn't forget if we wanted to. It became a part of history & thereby became a part of us. I still mourn & reflect & honor those lost, those saved, & those who aided. Blessings to you all, past, present & future.

9/11 is always a day of reflection for me. I was on a plane that morning flying out of Charlotte to head to a meeting in Chicago. My boss had called me as I was boarding the plane and told me about a plane crash in the WTC. Of course I visualized a small piper, not a commercial plane with hundreds of passengers. As I was talking to him, he told me of the second plane. He was flying out of Newark. Other passengers were getting news too. We had just started down the runway when the pilot killed the engines and advised us of orders to return to the gate and deplane. As passengers were getting more info (before cell phone service was disabled) we were starting to absorb the magnitude of what had happened. I headed straight out to the taxi area (my husband had dropped me off). I figured taxis would be in short supply very soon. A man asked what direction I was heading - told him North - he had left a business meeting for a family emergency. His wifes' father was dying in Michigan and he was trying to get to her. He had his company travel service trying to find a rental car for him - he had no cash for cab fare either. He shared the cab with me and we headed toward Davidson, when they dropped me off I gave the cab driver as much cash as I had and asked that he help the man as much as he could to get him to a rental car company that still had cars available. I often wondered what happened with that man, he was obviously very dedicated to his wife. Later I was to find out that 300 people working for the same company I did perished that day. I worked out of an office in Princeton, NJ (commuting back and forth to NC) and we set up additional office space in conference rooms, storage closets, shared offices to keep business going. Each day we'd hear stories of that day. One co-worker told us of wading out of the building amidst glass and body parts. Another told us of not knowing whether her husband was alive or dead, and cradling her babies until he walked in the door. It had taken him more than 12 hours to get home. Another told of her nieces 2nd grade classroom where 25% of the children had lost at least one parent and 10% had lost both. Elevator and office stories went on and on. We grieved together and privately. We were numbed by it, all of us knowing it could easily have been one of us. If we didn't work in those buildings, we often had meetings there. There is a quilt by Lois Jarvis that is stunning but haunting. I met her and bought a poster of the quilt which is framed and use to hang in my office, now in my quilting area. It is in the Lone Star pattern and has faces of those who perished that day. If you haven't seen it, or heard of it, go here http://www.gzquilt.com/About_the_Quilt/about_the_quilt.html you are sure to be touched.

I saw - on tv - the 2nd plane flying into the building, i saw all these people falling and cry every year... no i haven't been there, no i didn't lose family or friends in all this... but to me something has died.. the world lost its innocence that day... now 12 years later i still can not watch a doc. or movie about it. i still ask myself why? why are people so full of them self, so intollerant against other religions? why??? the worst is we will never know the answers... so yes, even when i am living on the other side of this earth... i remember as if it happend yesterday...